Sleeping December
by Gamer
Summary: Two new Haibanes are born from the Cocoon discovered by Rakka.


**Sleeping December**

By Gamer

Session 1: Birth of life

As the winter days come to pass

And the childhood days had ended

Let the nightmare of the past ebb

From the morning light to the heav'ns

From the sadness of desertion

Come the wishes of tomorrow

The first light of the spring feathers

Inside the amorous womb

Snow fell heavily and harsh to the ground. The labored breathing of a teenager and the crunching of snow were silenced by the omnipresent howl of the wind.

Carried by the boy that she had known all her life, the girl opened her snow-blinded eyes slowly but was met only with a ubiquitous white light. She can't feel anything on her face and limbs, as they are numb from the freezing winter. But her body was warmer than the others as it is pressed closely to the young man. "Where… am I?" She asked through soft but croaked voice, perplexed at where she was.

"Nowhere." Came the young man's hushed but croaked reply before adjusting her on his back.

The bitter cold was affecting their voices it seemed.

The girl moved her face closer to him, wishing that she could see his appearance. "It's cold." She muttered before eternally closing her eyes.

"I know." Was his reply. "Don't worry about it." He reassured her.

He didn't need to see to know that she smiled.

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Slowly returning back to the living

And the bitter will turn to sweet

As the hateful pain waning

Their lives will finally meet

Detaching themselves from the world

Inside their tiny, solid shell

Until they can take a breath

And wail inside their nest.

Waking up in a strange, illuminating light. The young woman looked around the unfamiliar surrounding, still dazed and disoriented as she tried to remember where she was. She took her first breath and was surprised when she felt the tell tale sign of water entering her nose. Startled, she hastily exhaled only to inhale just as quickly.

She felt it strange that she didn't drown and instead, she can breathe. She felt something tap on her right. She looked to the side and saw the boy floating unconsciously with his back turned to her. She hadn't seen his face but she could tell that she knew him instinctively. She turned him around, and for the first time she saw his face. Odd, for he looked so familiar as if they'd been together all their lives but at the same time she didn't know him.

The young man stirred and the first thing that he saw was her eyes gazing questioningly at him. "Where…" He asked, unexpectedly sending out bubbles into her face.

The woman was startled and moved away to shake the bubbles off with her right hand before realizing that it had already accumulated on the top of their swelling border.

The teenager noticed this as well and was quite surprised when he felt the unknown liquid seeped up into his nose as he breath. And like the lady before him, he thought that he was going to drown only to realize soon after that one way or another he can respire.

They stared directly into each other's gaze, asking each other with their eyes, not their voice. Their mutual understanding was interrupted when both of them heard a sound. A sound that is foreign in their surrounding but not in their nature. They both pressed their hands to one side of their shell, and found out that it was smooth and soft in texture.

The boy gave a push with his left hand and the crust crumbled away with a large chunk in his hand.

The girl peeped into the hole he made. "I can hear a voice." She said almost quietly.

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Noiselessly waiting for them

And keeping these two warmed

Along with sheltering them from harm

For they're her precious gem

Sensing something move within

Her heart pulsates with glee

Heeding the newborns' little song

Completes the woman's tiny soul

A girl with a black short hair and a matching, piercing black eyes paced back and forth. Impatiently waiting for the next two people assigned on look out duty, Hikari and Rakka. She stopped and stared at the enormous cocoon that had once been two only a few weeks ago in this very same room. 'Hikari, Rakka, what's taking both of you?' she mentally asked herself. It wouldn't be too bad if she were not paired with Nemu. She turned around and groaned at the woman's sleeping form. She sighed, "Why do I have to be paired with the goddess of sleep?" she grumbled to no one in particular but someone responded.

"Because you're the queen of activity." One of the girls in question, the one with a pony tailed blonde hair and bespectacled blue eyes, Hikari replied with a smile when she appeared at the door and heard her. She then directed her gaze at the cocoon and marveled at its size. "My… It's almost as big as Rakka's." she stated absentmindedly when she searched her memories and remembered her aspiration that she said back then. But sadly, when she first saw the cocoon of the twins, it had already grown to the size of Kana's toolbox. "I am still puzzled as to how we had developed from the size of a dandelion puff."

Rakka, a girl with a short auburn hair albeit, a bit longer than Kana and chocolate brown eyes, lifted her hand and touched the pale crust of the cocoon as she smiled heartily, wishing that she could help but Nemu had said that they might become weak in doing so as it was their tradition to let the newborns to break free of the cocoon on their own. Moving closer she pressed her right cheek before adding her ears, waiting for the tell tale sign of hatching. "How are they, Kana?" she asked idly at them. Hikari, meanwhile, had awakened the sleeper from her peaceful slumber.

Seeing her state, Kana smiled slyly as an idea appeared on her mind. "You know Rakka, you're beginning to look like, Sumika-san." She stated although Rakka didn't understand what she meant.

"What do you mean?" Rakka was oblivious to the meaning of what her friend was discussing about as she made no attempt to move while straining her ears to hear the faintest, first crack of the massive cocoon.

Hikari was quick to catch up to the topic. "I can see the resemblance."

"But I think Rakka's too young to be a mother." Quipped Nemu.

Hikari and Kana giggled at the thought but stopped when they noticed how serious Rakka looked.

"Sorry Rakka, I am just kidding." Nemu apologized.

"Sh…" Rakka hushed. "I think I heard something." The sound became more audible to them. It sounded like the painful straining of a wall added with crunching sounds. She removed herself from the cocoon just in time to see a faint crack.

"Rakka, that sound is…" Hikari tried to explain but was cut-off when Kana intervened.

"Hikari! Did you bring the boots and raincoat?" Kana asked urgently.

Chuckling quite nervously, she replied, "No, I don't." the three of them had known the illuminating signs of a haibane (or in this case, haibanes) that's about to be born.

Of course, Rakka didn't know about it yet.

"Not again…" Kana muttered, knowing what was coming next.

Crack! A web like imprint appeared in front of Rakka as she smiled jubilantly, clasping together her hands, and her wings fluttering from this emotion not knowing the tide coming from the protective membrane.

Hikari chuckled nervously as she saw the youngest haibane right in front of the soon to be deluge, oblivious to the impending burst. "Uh… Rakka, I think you should move back." She pleads, hoping that she would not experience what she had before.

Meanwhile, Nemu closed the door shut hoping that it can sustain the upcoming flood.

"Why?" Rakka turned around and missed the part where a large chunk had broken off. When she turned back, it was already too late as the cocoon's liquid contents fell at her at full force. "EAHHHHH!"

The dry room that they were in was quickly turned into a waist-deep pond in less than ten seconds and Rakka had to waddle her way through to get to the exhausted bodies of the two individuals.

The four girls were surprised when they saw one of them trying to stand up with the other's arm slung over the former. "Wake up…" Judging by the voice they instinctively knew that the former is a boy, since the two of them had their backs facing them, they didn't know until now. His voice was weak from exhaustion of which was soon visible as he fell back down to the liquid due to his weight. That was expected since when haibanes are inside the cocoon, they float weightlessly as if they're as light as air, but now that they had emerged from their shell they had to save their strength and adapt. Finally, he collapsed and closed his eyes before passing out.

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Wailing inside their nest

For warmth and comfort of her touch

Feeling her presence close by

They soon drifted off to sleep

Sheltering the little feathers

And helping them grow with happiness

By helping them first to know themselves

With the names that she choose

The sun shone brightly, illuminating the guestroom with its radiating light. The song of tranquility was peaceful, making one's thought at ease before it started its journey into itself. At the bed lay the two new members of the old home haibane, both are lying on their back and are recovering from exhaustion from breaking free of their confined home inside the shell.

The teenager slowly opened his eyes, adjusting them to the warm glow of light. The first thing that he saw was the familiar angelic face of the only person that he knew and not. He tried to remember her name but got no results. He raised his right hand and patted her hair before he noticed that on his other hand was something warm. He turned his head and saw an unfamiliar girl with brown hair, fair skin and wearing a dress. She had a pleasant smile and an expression of contentment on her face. She looked like she was asleep with her head on the side of the bed. Somehow, he didn't take notice of her grayish white wings and glowing halo. He tried to sit up of which he would require to move his hand but she gripped it tighter before slowly opening her eyes.

The unknown girl gazed deeply but warm into his impassive eyes. Her smile widened and sleep seemed to disappear from her muzzy eyes. "Ohayo gozaimasu." She greeted with genuine happiness as he sat up. She moved her face closer to him. "How are you? Do you need anything?" she clasped her hands together, joyous to be the first to speak to him.

"I… Uh…" He stuttered feeling unsure of what he's going to say. He jolted suddenly when he saw her wings move, and his sudden movement caused the sleeping girl to awaken.

The other girl blinked for a while, trying to adjust her eyes from the light before she sat up and yawned. She began rubbing her eyes with her sleeves while hearing a soothing voice like that of a parent but a bit young.

"Ah… you're finally up." Rakka greeted her. She was thrilled to be the first to speak to them and also the fact that she hadn't seen any new feathers after her. She observed the two of them and noticed that somehow, they contrast one another.

The boy had a short, ebony black hair; lightly tanned skin, and strange, distinguishing colored eyes. On the right, he has crimson while on the left is an azure. He had a stoic expression.

The girl, however, had a long light blonde hair; if she stood in the sun it might appear white, pale skin, and have the same heterochromatic disorder. But on her case, it was reversed with sapphire on the right and scarlet on the left. She, on the other hand, looked perplex, "Where…am…I?" she asked while looking around.

Rakka stood up to answer the girl's question. "We're at Old Home."

"Old Home?" Asked the boy whisperingly.

"Yes." Answered Rakka. "This place is once a school, but it was abandoned a long time ago for being too far away from the town before becoming the haibane's nest."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Sorry?" Rakka asked, her wings moving a little.

"Um… what he meant to ask is 'what's a haibane?'." The girl explained, a bit mesmerized by the unknown woman's wings.

Rakka smiled a little as she remembered her innocence when she was born. She sat on the side of the bed, near the twin's feet and spread her wings. "Us," Rakka replied, "The three of us are haibane and oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Rakka."

The twins unexpectedly twitched as pain jolted from his or her backside before both of them tried to touch his or her back.

Rakka looked concerned at the two before her but she instinctively knew what it was. "Why, What's wrong?" She asked after standing up. "Had you felt something on your back?"

"Y-Yes." The girl stuttered as she tried to combine the words into sentences. "I-I guess I had st-strained my muscles."

The boy, however, asked her straight away. "It's our wings, right?"

The blonde gazed straight at him. "Our wings?"

Rakka was surprised at how forward the boy is. "Yes, how did you know?"

His answer is crisp and deadpan but somehow morbid. "I don't."

Rakka was confused by his answer. He had found out the source for the pain in his and his sister's back but refused to reply to a simple question of how and (possibly) why. It seemed that he would rather keep the information to himself. She was interrupted from her thought by a worried voice.

"Will it… be painful?" asked the frightened girl.

Rakka smiled warmly at her, assuring her not to worry. "Yes, it will be sore until your wings broke free from your skin. And you will have a fever. But don't worry, after that it will subside."

The young man turned to his sister and his blank expression softened before patting her head lightly also assuring her not to be afraid. He wished that there were something that he could do to change the subject. He hadn't seen the whole place since he was asleep the whole time when the two of them ware carried to the bed but he knew that it was likely that someone like her might not live alone in this huge building all by herself. "Where are the others?" he asked, still in a monotonous tone.

It seemed that luck was on his side as the aged wooden door creaked open noisily, revealing the person behind and two other haibanes (as Rakka explained). The one with glasses was carrying two halo moulds, the other that looked to be a bit older than her was carrying what looked to be like a plastic bag, the woman meanwhile looked like she had woken up with as she had sleepy eyes.

The bespectacled girl's smile widened as she went closer. "Ah! They're up." she exclaimed, still excited as ever about meeting new people and seeing new things. Her mind brimming with curiosity and brightness like a flame that will soar to the heavens to gaze down at the world in all its magnificence.

The woman stood silently at the edge of the bed like an owl in the night filled with knowledge and answers to be passed down to the next generation and to a guide to the lost people that needed a way out.

The shorthaired girl had an idea in her mind. Clever and a bit deceptive like a vixen that was about to strike, not to cause harm but to have them closer to each other. Her thoughts were turned into words in the blink of an eye. "Problem at the bed?" But fate is all ways one to be cruel to a person such as herself who tried to help by being their common enemy.

The girl blushed and shyly tried to hide behind her brother using his left arm as a shield to protect her from harm while he stared warily at the girl who said such words in front of him.

Hikari pouted at her friend and wished that she wouldn't say such hurtful words. "Kana, You're so mean!"

"Eh?" Kana replied, she expected the twin's reactions but not Hikari's.

Nemu frowned and shook her head, she knew that Kana didn't mean anything bad at what she said but only did those things out of habit. "Those aside, are both of you hungry?" Changing the subject is the best course of action at the time for she knew that their conversation could escalate into something embarrassing.

The boy looked behind his left shoulder to where his sister is snuggling before turning his attention to the woman and shook his head sideways, signaling a no.

"All right, but I'm still getting you something." With that she turned to leave and headed to the curtained doorway with the door missing.

After she disappeared, Rakka sat back down on the bed and looked straight into their eyes kindly, "May I ask what your dream is?"

Kana, meanwhile, had dropped the bag at the twin's feet slowly.

The young man gazed at Rakka questioningly. He wondered why would someone ask about his dream.

"Dream?" The girl questioned back in a soft and lonely voice, revealing herself from her shelter when Kana sat at the chair with its back in front of her of which she used to lean forward.

Rakka made an affirmative sound while nodding, "You had one while you were sleeping back there, right? Before you hatch."

"Hatch? From an egg?"

"No," Hikari replied, "It was more like a cocoon."

The girl narrowed her eyes slowly as she stared into some inner space, deep inside her mind as she tried to remember the one small moment before she woke up the first time, but sadly, nothing came but a white illuminating glow. "I… I don't remember."

The girls were surprised at what she said and the three of them fell silent for a moment, without a dream there is no name.

"But that's not possible…" Said Hikari softly, almost soothing. "Surely, you have a name."

"Ah?" She looked up to them pleadingly. Of course she have a name but… she can't remember. 'Who am I?' She asked no one but herself.

Rakka smiled, "All of us are named with the dreams that we have. Take me for example, in my dream I was falling down hence my name Rakka. It means falling."

"River fish. That's why I'm named Kana."

"Well…" the girl took her brother's hand and felt warmth. It was the same warmth that she felt before… before…. Gazing into a world deep in her heart, she relived her dream. "In my dream, it was so bright…"

"Now I know how what she felt about having the same dream but if it is so then we'll have the same name." Hikari commented to Rakka remembering the past for a little while. "Ah! I'm Hikari by the way, my dream was that I was enveloped in a white light."

"She's not done." The young man hushed gently but abruptly while making a mental note to ask whom is she referring to.

The girl nodded and continued. "I couldn't feel anything because it was so cold but I know that someone was there, trying to keep me warm as he carried me on his back and his voice… was somehow soothing." She turned her gaze at him and smiled heartily.

A small smile crept up to his lips but disappeared before it was found.

"What about you?" Rakka asked, gazing at the boy while she waited patiently for an answer.

The young man turned his gaze and muttered two words. "The same." Silence fell as his stunned caretakers took a moment to realize this, before adding. "But I believe I'm the one who's carrying her."

Hikari was amazed by his sudden revelation. To have the same dream but different setting was ordinary, if a haibane had already had that dream and the name before the other was born, they would choose a name based on what was happening on the second haibane. Take Rakka and her sempai for an example, her sempai was named for sky while the former had been given the name Rakka for falling. But to have the one and the same dream with the same setting was different, as the ones who are fortunate to have it must be named with a name that connects not just to their dreams but also to themselves.

Rakka, on the other hand, already had an idea in mind. Gazing directly into them she thought up of a name that depicts their dream. Looking at the girl she saw softness and beauty like the blessings of God in the form of the falling snow seen with grace and tranquil. She turned her gaze, this time toward the boy; she felt protection, guidance, and silent fury like the teachings of God in the form of the wind passing the voice unknown and unheard.

The brown haired girl smiled. "Yuki and Kaze."

"Hm?" The new members turned their attention to Rakka, responding to her voice.

"How about those names?" She turned to the girl. "Yuki…?" Then to the boy "Kaze?"

"You should give them their names, not asking about what name do they like, Rakka." Hikari commented helpfully. "After all, they're your children."

This earned Rakka the twin's full attention, turning to face her in admiration. The boy opened his mouth to speak but quickly shuts it off before words came but his twin sister had other ideas. She gazed at Rakka hopefully and said, "Mo…ther?"

Hikari smiled.

Kana snickered.

Rakka was stunned.

Good thing that Nemu was nowhere near to hear it.

"All right." Replied the laconic Kaze. That word alone is enough to express his agreement.

Hikari walked to Rakka and silently gave her a halo mould. She took it and with a silent nod, she went to Kaze's side before they simultaneously flicked it open.

Just like before, Hikari gave her usual speech. "My dear twins." She started before adding playfully with a giggle, "Children of Rakka." This earned her an odd stare from her friend. "May we guide you into becoming good haibanes by giving you this halo." Both Rakka and Hikari placed the haloes at the newborns.

Kaze's halo sat in place, a few inches atop his head, but his sister's halo began to wobble until it fell but unfortunately, Kaze caught it in his hands intent on saving it for his sister but he never expected it to be searing.

He winced as he bounced the hot metal alternately from his two hands. Hikari and Yuki began to panic as they tried to think of a way to hold the halo. Finally, he bounced it one more time; his hands can no longer take the heat, and fell to the bed between he and his twin sister.

The four of them sigh a relief while the only male wiggled his hands vehemently to cool it off.

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Trying to stand on his own two feet

After falling time and again

Seeing the truth with his eyes

Not from the voice of his moth'r

Waking from a long, deep slumber

Mirroring his with her own heart

Hearing it beat in time

As it should forever more

Breakfast was eaten in light silence with occasional harmonious chatter of the girls with occasional deep tones from Kaze's voice. In their talk, the new ones learned the name of the oldest of their kind, Nemu, the Haibane of Sleep, the matriarch of Old Home, and who had seen their small world far longer than any of them. For nine years she had stayed and taken care of the four younger ones and recently, she left her position on the library to take care of the children.

Saying a light 'Thank you' to Nemu for the food, Kaze removed the blanket before trying to stand up. This alerted Rakka before moving toward him, telling him not to move too much as he is still weak.

Yuki patted her makeshift 'Halo Holder' or as Hikari called it, 'Rakka's Headband'. Hikari reasoned that since Rakka was the first one that she had seen who wore it a year before.

Kaze reassured her that he was all right and that he only wanted to see the painting up close. Unperturbed, Rakka followed him to make sure he didn't exhort himself. Unlike Yuki who wore a stiff, long sleeved dress, Kaze wore something like a tuba but is somehow made from the same fabric as his sister's dress. He slowly walked towards the doorway to where the painting is hanged.

The painting was placed there so that it can easily be seen as it is directly in front of the bed. It was hung there using a simple, and old, but reliable frame. The bespectacled woman is in her late twenties with a seemingly black hair but at closer inspection revealed that it was dark brown along with her eyes. Her gaze is deep and caring but there is an eerie feeling that says this woman was weak and fragile. 'But why was she painted like this?' Kaze thought, as he gazed at the chrome yellow background and felt the painter's loneliness and loss.

"Who is she?" He asked to no one, but certain that there will be a reply.

"Kuramori." Answered Nemu, the duchess of Old Home. "She was the matriarch of our home until five years ago." She explained reminiscence the past to see it clearly. "She was like a mother to us even though with her weak body she took care of me and Reki."

"Who's Reki?" It was Yuki's turn to ask

Rakka smiled and gently placed a hand on Yuki's head. "Reki was the haibane who named and took care of me, and like her…" She slowly stroked Yuki's hair, "I will take care of both of you."

Nemu smiled when she heard that. "Reki was the one who painted that, Kaze."

Kaze gave a nod before he whispered to himself, "A sad smile."

Kana noticed his lips moved but didn't heard what he said as his words were said in a low voice. She was about to ask but decided against it when Kaze began to stagger before collapsing to the floor.

"Kaze!" Like a worried mother, Rakka tried to support him only to fall to her knees due his weight.

Unbeknownst to her, Yuki fell to her side, contorted in pain as Hikari attended her.

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Pain Swells and Burdens their Minds

Fearful of unending change

Strained to eschew their past

For the inevitable pain

Wishing the time to just stand still

Though impossible it may be

Yielding to what is known to them

But hope still continues on

Nighttime slowly crept by. Nemu left earlier, she would have stayed but she had to tend to the young ones at the other building while Kana was practically shooed away, but it was because she made Yuki nervous.

Kaze was sweating profusely from fever and pain from the pair of small humps that arched from his back. He opened his eyes and stared at his sister who is in the same predicament though it was much worse for her as she can't stand the throbbing swelling on her back. She opened her eyes and stared directly into his, "Brother, it hurts…" She gasped as an ice pack was placed on the right swollen lump on her back.

"Don't… cry." He replied, biting his lower lip as he stared in pain at his twin sister.

She responded with a weak nod of her head as she fought the pain that tried to overwhelm her.

Kaze felt the pain tripled as he felt something move within his body trying to break its way out as blood seeped through the small opening on his back that I gradually tearing his skin apart.

Tears fell from Yuki's eyes, as the pain had overwhelmed her. Arching herself as she felt something tore through her weak body. " It hurts! It hurts!" she sobbed through the pain.

Rakka couldn't help but sympathize the twins as she bandaged her thumb like the previous matriarch had done for her. Hikari was doing the same after she saw and recognize what her friend was doing. They soon told the twins to bite at their thumb of which Yuki did but Kaze refused.

Hikari winced as Yuki bit her but it wasn't as painful as she thought it would be for the bandages are cushioning the pressure to her thumb.

Their wings slowly stretched and tore his or her skin painfully. Rakka and Hikari watched in stunned silence as two pairs of wings gradually emerged from the lump on Yuki and Kaze's back.

'Its like being forced to be reborn.' Was Rakka's thought as she stared at the bloodied wings.

Yuki screamed painfully, her voice disappearing into the moonless night.

The twins slumped back on the bed, too drained to move their arms and legs or to speak their voice. Yuki had fainted a while ago and before he knew it, his eyes felt heavy and the last thing he saw was Hikari with blood smeared across her face tending to his sister's bloodied, quivering wings. As sleep took hold he felt two unfamiliar presences moving on his back.

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Shimmering under the moonl't glow

Are the Orbs of Existence

Swimming on the streams of Life

Heeding the Tune of time

Observing the slowly setting Moon

While feeling the w'rmth of the sun

Sensing the radiance of light

Here on the Town of Beginnings

Lifting the heavy lids on his eyes, the newborn slowly rose to sit on his bed before rubbing his eyes to clear his vision of the day. Feeling that something wasn't quite right, he moved his let hand to his back and felt an unfamiliar sensation. Smooth, soft, and damp from the moisture. He looked back and saw for the first time his own gray wings convulsing slightly, uncontrollably.

He felt someone stir and mumble beside him. Looking down he saw his twin sister slowly opening her eyes to focus on his own. "Brother?" She asked, azure and crimson locking into one another before her eyes swiveled to his wings. Lifting up her hand and gently setting it down upon the lightly colored feathers, she said, "So soft and smooth…"

He helped her stood up before feeling hers. "But yours is better." He whispered before feeling her move closer and embracing him in a hug.

They heard footsteps coming closer but neither of them cared who it was. The door opened and revealed that it was Rakka, quite surprised that they were up so early, but she chose not to interrupt them in their little harmony.

They broke up after a few minutes of silent accord and it was then that Yuki saw her gazing at them from the doorway. She blushed a bit, "Mom … how long had you been watching us?" She asked shyly.

"Mom?" Rakka asked no one in confusion for a bit before she recollected her memory. "Oh … just a few minutes ago. Are you two hungry?"

Yuki gave an affirmative sound while Kaze remained silent, thinking that the question was rhetorical.

Rakka's smile broadened in delight, "Kana brought some clothes yesterday, why don't you change into those as you wait for breakfast?" She then pointed at the two sets of clothes that are on the edge of the bed.

"Thank You." Yuki grabbed both sets of clothes before taking her brother's hand. "Let's go."

Confusion etched across his face, "Where?" He asked, clueless.

"To the bathroom of course, where do you think we should change?" she replied nonchalantly making Kaze into a tomato.

"A-are the two of you going to change at the same time?!?" Stuttered Rakka, incredulously.

"N-no." Answered Kaze.

"Yes." Replied Yuki.

"Sister!?" He stammered in embarrassment.

"Brother!!"

"Children!" Screamed Rakka turning slightly pink at what she was thinking. "S-siblings s-shouldn't do something like that o-or anyone for that matter. Especially a-at this age!"

'Thank God!' Kaze thought.

"Mom!" That was Yuki.

"No is a no! It's indecent and you know it." Rakka lectured.

"She's – Mom's right." Added Kaze.

Yuki pouted at this response as she asked herself mentally as to why her brother thinks that way. She turned around and crossed her arms before retorting, "Sometimes, I wonder if you're really a boy."

Thrown aback he thought, 'Say what?!'

Rakka was about to respond when a woman's voice called out from the kitchen. "Rakka can you help me for a bit?"

Hearing Nemu's voice, Rakka made an affirmative sound before walking to the kitchen.

Sensing opportunity, Yuki took hold of her brother's hand. "Come … before she found out." She said with a smile.

"He – Hey!" Kaze's hair stood on end as he was dragged away.


End file.
